Karoline Leavitt to Exit Trump White House at End of August, Citing Family

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says she will step down from the Trump administration at the end of August, explaining that she wants to dedicate more time to raising her two young children.

The 28-year-old Leavitt, the youngest person ever to hold the White House press secretary position, announced the decision on social media Wednesday after President Donald Trump confirmed that she would be leaving. She described the decision as a “bittersweet” one.

Leavitt returned to her White House duties only months ago after giving birth to her second child, Viviana, in May. She is also a mother to a two-year-old son.

According to Leavitt, balancing the intense demands of the press secretary role with motherhood ultimately led to her decision to leave.

“The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life,” she wrote.

Trump has yet to announce who will replace Leavitt. Instead, the president praised her and said she would remain an important figure around his political operation.

“Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” Trump said in a social media post.

Leavitt’s political career has included roles with MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC, and Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. She also entered electoral politics in 2022, winning a 10-way Republican primary for a New Hampshire congressional seat before losing the general election to Democratic incumbent Chris Pappas.

She had previously worked in Trump’s White House press office during his first term and later served as communications director for Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York.

As press secretary, Leavitt conducted fewer formal White House briefings than several recent occupants of the position. Trump has often handled questions from reporters himself during official appearances and trips, while Leavitt frequently appeared on Fox News and other conservative outlets to promote the administration’s policies and attack Democrats and mainstream media organisations.

The Trump administration’s first term also featured high-profile press secretaries such as Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who were known for confrontational interactions with journalists. Stephanie Grisham never held a formal briefing, while Kayleigh McEnany frequently used the briefing room to push back against the media.

Africans Angle News